Omega 3
Our expert Azmina Govindji discusses functional foods - the lowdown on those added extras
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Transcript
Presenter - We're learning so much here! I've got one more for you. Fish products - oily fish products - have Omega 3 in them. Now, what is Omega 3 exactly? It's a fat, isn't it?
Azmina - It is. It's a very special fat. It's an essential fat that we don't manufacture in our body so we need to get it from outside. And the best sources are oily fish, such as salmon, herring, mackerel, trout, sardines. Now, we don't eat a lot of fish in this country, so to get people to have the recommended amount, which would come from one serving a week of this oily fish, is really difficult, especially children. Manufacturers have responded to this by creating a functional food containing Omega 3. We now have Omega 3 eggs, Omega 3 milk, Omega 3 bread, there might be some others that I haven't heard of. So we're actually finding you could create a shopping basket with foods enriched with Omega 3 to give you the same amount as that one serving of oily fish.
Presenter - But also Omega 3 - cod liver oil, for example - is good for your joints, isn't it?
Azmina - Exactly. So you might be someone who takes that anyway and you will be getting some Omega 3 from that.
Presenter - Right. What about smoked fish? The fact that it's been smoked. Would that negate the purpose, the functionality of that food, or not? Because it's oily isn't it?
Azmina - It wouldn't negate it, but the fact is that it's smoked and so you're going to increase the salt content there. It's one thing for another, isn't it? And it all again depends on context: how much are you going to eat? If you're just having kippers once a month, then I wouldn't worry about it. But just be careful, they are very salty.
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